


Love Is An Abstract Concept

by rainsoakedshoes



Series: Art Student Scerek [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Human, Artist Derek, Artist Scott, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-07
Updated: 2017-01-07
Packaged: 2018-09-15 12:30:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9235202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainsoakedshoes/pseuds/rainsoakedshoes
Summary: “I finished class early,” Scott says. “I thought I’d come by and see what you were up to.” He walks into the space to stand by Derek. “How’s the painting coming?”Derek shrugs. “It still feels like I’m missing something.” Sitting in the chair Derek only comes up to Scott’s shoulder. He leans against Scott, his cheek pressed against the black bands tattooed on Scott’s skin.





	

**Author's Note:**

> so in march 2015 i wrote [The Only Good Thing About This Class](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3645672) and it's currently 2am, and too hot to sleep so i was rereading some of my old fic and decided to write a small sequel
> 
> this was written in about an hour, and it's entirely self-indulgent and hasnt been beta'd, but i hope you enjoy it!!!

Derek uses a clean brush to carefully reshape a layer of drying oil paint. He pushes the layer of black paint, causing it to curve more. He puts the brush down and sits back to evaluate his work. The canvas is on an easel, and he’s sitting in a chair so he can reach the bottom portion of it without bending too much. He stands, then sits again so he can see it at different angles.  It’s looking better. The painting is finally starting to take shape. Something is still missing though. 

The painting is an abstract piece, which isn’t a style he uses often He tends to stick with realism, or occasionally impressionist styles, especially when he’s working with oil paint. Abstract feels appropriate though considering the subject matter he’s trying to represent. It’s not something he could portray fully in a single canvas using a realistic approach. He supposes it’s technically partial abstract, since it’s still representing something. 

Derek’s trying to paint a representation of his college experience, now that it’s coming to an end. He’s trying to show all of his thoughts and feelings by pouring them out onto the canvas. No one else may be able to decipher the colours, lines and shapes, but it makes sense to Derek. The apparent chaos of the painting tells his story. 

Well, at least it’s starting to tell it. He still has a lot of work to do. 

Derek’s musing is cut short by a knock at the door of the studio space. He twists in his chair to see Scott standing in the open doorway. Derek’s face lights up with a smile. 

“Hey. What are you doing here?” 

“I finished class early,” Scott says. “I thought I’d come by and see what you were up to.” He walks into the space to stand by Derek. “How’s the painting coming?” 

Derek shrugs. “It still feels like I’m missing something.” Sitting in the chair Derek only comes up to Scott’s shoulder. He leans against Scott, his cheek pressed against the black bands tattooed on Scott’s skin. 

“You’ll find what you’re missing,” Scott assures him. “You always do.” 

Derek frowns at the canvas. “I hope you’re right.” 

“I have time before my next class if you want to get coffee,” Scott suggests. “A break always helps you get your thoughts in order.” 

Derek looks away from the canvas and looks up at Scott instead. “You’re right,” he says. “Coffee sounds good.” 

Their first date had been just like this. Coffee at the cafe on campus while Derek works through his frustrations about art. 

They sit side by side on a low couch. Scott puts his hand over Derek’s, his thumb brushing the skin between Derek’s thumb and pointer finger. Derek was right about his wound from the gouge scarring. There’s still a small white mark on his hand there. He never did get the linocut just right, but he did meet Scott. So he doesn’t resent the class as much as he might have otherwise. 

Scott talks to fill the silence. He tells Derek about his own classes and assignments, the personal projects he’s working on, anything and everything to keep Derek’s mind off the painting. 

Eventually they finish their coffees and Scott has to leave for his next class. 

“Will you still be on campus when my lecture finishes?” Scott asks as they stand up. “We can grab some food after.”

“It’s two hours, right? Yeah, I’ll be here,” Derek says. “I’m going to head back up to the studio and keep working on this painting.” 

“So you’re feeling better?” 

“I always feel better after I spend time with you,” Derek tells him. 

Scott beams at Derek’s words. Derek knows he’s not the best at giving compliments, or being honest about his feelings. Seeing Scott smile like that is worth pushing himself to be more open though. 

“I’ll see you after class then,” Scott says. 

He picks up his laptop bag, then pauses to kiss Derek. It’s a quick peck on the lips, nothing inappropriate. However Derek is still aware of people in the cafe staring at them. He picks up his own belongings and does his best to ignore them. 

Scott’s lecture is on the other side of the campus, so Derek walks back up to the studio alone. 

The painting is in the exact same position it had been in when he’d left. Except now Derek looks at it with a new perspective. 

He sits back down in his chair in front of the canvas. Instead of his brushes Derek picks up a wire end modeling tool. The tool is designed for clay modeling and sculpting, but Derek finds it useful when working with thick layers of oil paint. He uses the narrow end of the tool and presses it to the end of the black section he had reshaped earlier. Carefully he carves a line of black away, revealing the blue paint beneath it. When he’s finished the black strip of paint is divided into two, the top section slightly thicker than the bottom. 

There’s no denying that Scott has been a huge part of his college life. Since they met in the printmaking class they’ve been nearly inseparable. Representing Scott’s impact on his life in the painting is part of what he’s been struggling with. It’s still not finished, and far from perfect, but it’s a start. 

The method he’s used to create this part seems fitting as well. 

Scott is unconventional and came into his life unexpectedly. That first meeting, when he took Derek by the hand, he never wavered and was so sure of himself, much like the hard wire tool. But he was also gentle and patient with Derek, like the patience and gentle hand Derek had used to scrape away the paint. 

No one will ever know this. No one will ever know the specific tools he used to create the painting. No one will ever know exactly what emotions Derek put into it. Even if he tried to explain he’s not sure he has words that would do it justice. Just like how he’s not sure he can adequately describe how he feels about Scott. 

Even if other people will never really know or understand, that’s okay. Derek knows the details. He knows how he feels. That’s enough. 

**Author's Note:**

> im really trying to push myself to write more this year, so hopefully you'll see more from me
> 
> im on [tumblr](http://fighthaus.tumblr.com/) if you want to come talk to me, or maybe even prompt me. i can't guarantee ill fill every prompt i get, but ill do my best to keep my motivation up


End file.
